Brand new Xitsonga traditional musician says she has served her dues
Msasi Lizbeth Mathebula , of Jilongo Village in Collins Chabane Municipality, has a sizzling CD
Benson Ntlemo
Brand new Limpopo Xitsonga traditional musician Msasi Lizbeth Mathebula whose debut CD is riding the crest of a wave says she is not new in showbiz after all and has been in showbiz for some time and has learnt the ropes from the best.
Mhani Maliza as popularly known, the artist from Jilongo Village in the Collins Chabane Local Municipality has released 12-track CD titled Gama ra sele (rifu I gama ra sele).
The title track Gama ra sele literally means death is a cruel eagle, and she is mourning the death of her close family members particularly her grannies and her mother and father.
In one track, Khorona, she is singing about the deadly corona virus and she is saying her ancestors passed on without seeing anything like it.
Her CD generally has received a favourable reaction from the music fans and it is also receiving regular airplay from many radio stations.
The mother of two who is popular as a dancer has also performed at different venues and has a number of bookings lined up but was disrupted by the corona outbreak.
In an interview, Mathebula says she is amazed by the reaction to her music by the general public.
“Although it is my debut album, everywhere I go I find people playing my music,” she says.
She says she is grateful to her late father Byeletela Johannes Mathebula.
“At a young age I was very popular as a dancer as my father had a Chevrolet van and used to strum music from it as early as 1976. People used to give me coins as a way of appreciating my dancing skills. My father played music for many artists such as Xihumbiyani, Samson Mthombeni, Mararaza and others,” she said.
Not so long ago, she was featured as a backing singer for artists Siya Chauke and David Maluleke who featured with the Madyisambitsi Sisters.
“I featured in many shows with Chauke and Maluleke and I learnt a lot. Since they are both popular musicians I can say I Iearnt from the best. In fact I have served my dues and it is not surprising that I am becoming a success in my music in my own right,” she said.
But she says she became a musician by accident.
“One day a music idea came to me and I discussed it with Thembhani Maluleke affectionately known as TT Makhanya, a producer who is my sister’s son. He arranged the music and we recorded a single. It became popular and everywhere I went I found it being played after people got it on Facebook,” she said.
Maluleke then urged her to do a full album and the result is the popular CD, Gama ra sele.
“Despite the fact that the world is focusing on the Covid-19 pandemic, I already have bookings for December and I will be performing in Roadhouse in the Collins Chabane Local Municipality and Babangu in the Greater Giyani municipality,” she said.
